The Giver by Lois Lowry was many of our hosts first experience with YA distopias and is truly unique to what the genre has to offer these days. We discuss the society in which Jonas lives and the revelations that he must go through when given memories of the past. Speculating on the upcoming film, however, has us all feeling a bit apprehensive.
EDIT: Our episode on the Giver film can be found here.
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SHOW NOTES:
Music: Utopia by Alanis Morissette
Upcoming
-Premieres on Netflix July 11
-Based on the book by Brian McGreevy
-Premieres July 13
-Based on Thomas Maier’s biography on William Masters and Virginia Johnson
-Premieres July 13
-Based on the trilogy by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
-July 11 (US), July 17 (UK)
–Sequel to the 2011 film; Reboot of the 1968 film; Novel by Pierre Boulle
Comments
Briann on TFIOS: “I agree with a lot of the main points discussed. I think where the movie really kind of fell short is that they spent so much time on the love story aspect, that they disregarded the great sort of humanity and story of what it’s like to have cancer or be effected by someone who has cancer, that the end result seemed a little cut off at the knees. It seemed kind of a disservice to turn Gus into a Manic Pixie Dream Boy, instead of really focusing on his part of the story. As a result you had a character that was not as dynamic as the one in the book. As horrible as it was to read, you kind of needed that sort of look at his decline and the move from “Agustus Waters – Teen Basketball Star” to “Agustus Waters – Hot Enigma” to “Gus Waters – actual human being, warts and all, that Hazel is in love with, who is about to die”, which is kind of important. Also, I agree that Ansel Elgort did a great job with the acting, but you could tell whenever he was coming to a line that was popular with the fandom, because it sounded almost as if he was reading off a bumper sticker or something. This sounds kind of all negative and Debbie Downer, but I actually liked the movie.”
Andrew on Godzilla: “It had its faults but I actually liked Godzilla. Putting aside the plot discrepancies (amply listed on IMDB chat) there were strong action scenes and a genuine sense of “wonder” at what had been unleashed,
I would probably buy a blu-ray as I’m sure the “making of” will be definitive.”
Main Discussion
The Giver
-By Lois Lowry
-Published in 1993
-First in a quartet, followed by Gathering Blue, Messenger and Son
-Synopsis from Wikipedia: “Set in a society which is at first presented as a utopia and gradually appears more and more dystopian, the novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life. His society has eliminated pain and strife by converting to “Sameness,” a plan that has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. Jonas is selected to inherit the position of “Receiver of Memory,” the person who stores all the past memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed to aid in decisions that others lack the experience to make. When Jonas meets the previous receiver—The “Giver”—he is confused in many ways. The Giver is able to break some rules, such as turning off the speaker which listens to peoples’ conversations in their homes, and lying to people of the community. As Jonas receives the memories from the Giver, he discovers the power of knowledge. The people in his community are happy because they do not know of a better life, and the knowledge of what they are missing out on could create major chaos. He faces a dilemma: should he stay with the community and the safe, consistent but shallow life it offers, or should he run away in pursuit of a life full of love, differences, choices, and knowledge, but also potentially full of danger?”
Notes
Society/themes/issues
-2.5 WPF club, heteronormative, what do you think of the gender roles?
-sameness (no one alike, everything controlled, everyone has their place)
-no choice (jobs, spouses, apply for children), do you think they still have purpose?
-no uncertainty (no ‘stirrings’, no emotions, book starts and ends with uncertainty)
–death (no concept of, ‘elsewhere’)
-do you get frustrated with the characters? (move into the plot and recieving of memories)
Plot
-the beginning (society and themes^^)
-the recieving (knowing pain, love, death, war; the release of the twin)
-the escape (what could they do to him if he was caught?)
-the end/Elsewhere (what happens? IS there an Elsewhere? is this community just in the middle of a ‘normally’ functioning world? has anyone read the sequel?)
The Giver (2014)
-Screenplay by Michael Mitnick and Robert B Weide
-Directed by Phillip Noyce
-Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Meryl Streep, Brenton Thwaites(Prince Philip), Katie Holmes, Jeff Bridges, and Taylor Swift
-Movie predictions: quite aged up, please don’t force a Fiona/Jonas love story, Rosemary flashbacks? will they show her release?, Gabe isn’t on the cast list but maybe cuz he’s a baby…
Adaptation Podcast 
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